Heart Torn in Two
by Cookies and Cream Fan
Summary: Left in search of a job. A hired maid, Marian goes under the name Jennifer and serves the Princess Eyleen of Ireland. But when she hears of Valery's death. she must decide what to do: go back to Robin or stay with the heartbroken Eyleen?
1. Prologue

I Love You More

**Cookiesncreamfan: this is my prologue. Robin's about to confess his HUGE crush on Marian!**

Dearest Marianne,

Never have I outright said I liked you. Never have I openly told you the extent of my feelings. My heart tells me that I should, but my mouth won't submit, and my voice refuses to voice the words to inform you on just how much I love you. So I wrote it down on paper, using the easy way out.

I love you more  
than Greek philosophers loved wisdom.  
I love you more  
than ancient Egyptian kings loved their gold.  
I love you more  
than the Vikings loved blood and fighting.  
I love you more.

I love you more  
than Abraham loved his wife, Sarah.  
I love you more  
than Joseph loved his rainbow-colored coat.  
I love you more  
than Ruth loved her mother-in-law Naomi.  
I love you more.

I love you more  
than I love my family and friends.  
I love you more  
than I love my goals and dreams and ambitions.  
I love you more  
than I love my own life and each breath that I take to sustain me.  
I love you more.

Oh, Marianne, my sweetheart. Right now, you're probably laughing your head off at my stupid, cliché letter, wondering how I could've ever fallen so deeply in love. Then, being the sweet, kind, amazing person that you are, you'd try to find a gentle excuse for not love me back. But it's okay. I understand.

I've never been much of a poet. I've never been much of a writer. I've never been much of a poetic speaker. I've never been much of anything worthy of you.

So if you don't love me, please, just tell me plainly. I'm too much of an idiot to know otherwise. I won't be mad at you. So please, just tell me.

Written by the madly in love,  
Robin


	2. I Miss You Because I Love You

I Miss You Because I Love You

"Robbie! Robbie!" Allan was wearing his devilish grin. "Guess what I've got?"

"Prince John's head on a pike?" I replied.

"Not quite," Allan waved a white envelope in the air. "A letter."

"From who?"

Allan grinned and whispered, "Marian."

I froze. Marian had disappeared 7 months ago. "Give it to me!" I ripped the letter out of Allan's hands.

"Careful," he joked. "It's holy."

I glared at him and gently opened the letter.

_Dear Robin,  
Sorry I left without telling you. It's just that I got tired of stealing, even if it's for a good cause. So I got myself a job as a maid for the Princess Eyleen of Ireland under the name of Jennifer, my sister's name. The wage isn't much, I know, about half of what you'd get from my father. But it's money earned fair and square._

_Just take the money. Argue with me later._

_I miss you guys. I miss Little John pestering me about lunch would be served. I miss Will laughing at me on my bad hair days. I miss Valery waking me up in the morning by hitting me in the head with a pillow. But most of all, I miss you. I miss your smiles, your hugs, everything. I miss you because I love you. Take care, both you and the Merry Men._

_ Sincerely,  
Marian_

I stared at the second to sentence. Her words kept echoing in my ears. We've been together for a long time now, but never had she said right out loud the words, "I love you." Now she did.

Allan snatched the letter back and read it, while I just stood there, dazed. Being a fast reader, Allan was finished in seconds.

"Ooh, that's some hot stuff. I miss you because I love you. Ooh, Robbie!" Allan teased me in a high-pitched voice.

"Shut up," I tried hard to not laugh. "Marian doesn't sound like that."

"Ooh, Robbie, I love you so much!"

I decided to ignore him. Reading the letter again, I muttered, "What a bitch. Why does she have to go all the way to Ireland?"

"Because she prefers to love you from afar," Allan laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"You're so funny, Al—NOT!"

"Now stop being such an asshole, Rob." Allan instructed.

I ignored him, "Whatever." I was too busy thinking about the letter that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and fell right in a ditch. "Shit," I muttered. "How lovely."


	3. I Love You Because You're You

I Love You Because You're You

The money she sent us with the letter went to her friend, Elisa, a poor widow that lived off of the charity of others. Elisa accepted the donation with dark eyes filled with grateful tears.

I stayed behind in Nottingham while my men went on back home. I had to do something first.

"Tomas?" I stepped into the small dusty schoolroom. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Robin Hood?" Tomas emerged from behind a pile of hay. The schoolroom was also the barn. "Do you need something?"

"Can I have some paper and ink? I'll pay you for them." I wanted to write a letter for Marian, but I didn't have paper and ink.

"Oh sure! Of course! Take them!" Tomas lowered his voice, a bit embarrassed. "I'd let you have them for free, Robin, but right now, that's just not possible with the taxes."

I nodded, "Yes, I understand. Thanks, Tomas."

I took the supplies and Tomas took the money. As I went home, I thought about what I was going to write. That night, I lighted a candle and wrote the letter by its meager light.

_Dear Marian,  
Your letter surprised me. I had never heard you say straight out "I love you" and now you did, even if you just wrote it down on paper. I'll admit, I treasured hearing those words._

_The Merry Men read it by the fireplace after I read it. They were quite amused and touched by your letter. Little John wants me to tell you that his lunch is now served early (because he cooks it) and Will says that he now laughs at Valery on her bad hair days. Valery wakes me up now. How do you do it? It's so painful! I didn't know a pillow could be so hard, nor a girl could be so strong._

_The money you sent went to Elisa Black. She was quite grateful of the money. And what kind of a girlfriend are you? Going all the way to Ireland! You could've gone to Cornwall or London or Northumberland, but no. You just had to go all the way up to Ireland to serve some Princess Eyleen! You bitch! (Sorry, I don't mean that. I just wanted you to be closer to me.)_

_Marian, I miss you too. I was horrified when you disappeared. We went looking for you, but couldn't find you. I miss you because I love you. I love you because you're so kind. I love you because you're so smart, because you're so brave, so sweet, and so beautiful. Marian, I love you because you're you._

_ Yours,  
Robin_


End file.
